Verno wrote on Feb 22, 2010, 16:07:
Games like Torchlight showcase that a very modest development budget can yield a high profit margin and very respectable games.

I am curious about the numbers on Torchlight. Wonder how much it did sell.

Creston wrote on Feb 22, 2010, 16:19:

Slippery Jim wrote on Feb 22, 2010, 16:09:
I think most gamers never visit forums and won't know about the DRM. Yes, their sales will be affected, but not by as much as we hope. The average gamer has A.D.H.D. and won't sit still long enough to actually READ.

The average gamer is not going to play a fucking U-boat Sim.

Yeap, though I think it would be a great service if everyone went to the sim communities and just ensure everyone knows about this DRM.

ubi doesn't deserve one single sale over this DRM, nor one single pirated copy either. That would send a loud message indeed.

I wonder if all SH communities know about ubi's DRM by now. If not, they should know.

Ant wrote on Feb 22, 2010, 09:39:

Verno wrote on Feb 22, 2010, 09:19:
No, I was being literal. You don't generally play RTS games for the graphical prowess but it's a step backwards for the franchise here. The gameplay itself is so simplified that it's almost insulting. There is nothing compelling to keep people playing, let alone worry about DRM.

Ditto. The game is awful anyways. Who cares if it is DRM'ed or not. Beta test turned me off. C&C3 and its KW were the last C&C games for me. RA3 was bad to me too even though I enjoyed RA1 and 2.

The DRM question is more because of all the noise about ubi's DRM, since this one is very similar and may catch on other EA games if we let it pass without also making a noise, especially since there was a lot of noise because of Spore's DRM.

Verno wrote on Feb 22, 2010, 09:02:
I played the beta for a bit, it's like a college kid's RTS project so people aren't really missing much.

Yeah, I have a friend who was beta tester who said this game is more like Dawn Of War II, it's domination rather than base building and that DoWII does it far better. Though it's not the game itself that worries me but EA once again implementing more draconian DRM measures.

noman wrote on Feb 22, 2010, 02:22:
Stardock's game aren't as big piracy targets as something like Crysis or Modern Warfare. The main issue about piracy is that a huge majority of pirates are folks who'd never buy a game, even when they don't have any options. However even the small number of pirates who are potential buyers can be a big enough number so as to become a factor into DRM debates.

Really? Do you have any, you know, facts and numbers to back up your statement there?

I'm on the camp that think piracy is bad but that companies often overblow it and use it as convenient excuses. And I just get bothered when I see statements like the above without any numbers or facts to back them up and I think that's the problem right there, there hasn't been any study, at least publicly released, about how many pirates end up buying a game.

What I'm wondering is this:

EA got hit by a lot of class action lawsuits because of Spore's DRM. Pretty sure someone will raise a stink over this one and C&C4's one. I think it's logical, and most likely they will have a case.

As someone beta testing BC2, I can say that game is exactly all you could expect of a rush porting job, complete with all sort of issues. Advise to wait and see how the game turns out when it's released, as it is now it's plagued with issues and bugs.

Narf2029 wrote on Feb 21, 2010, 18:30:
I am just tired of the big publishers trying to screw us. The PC gaming industry is big enough that someone is going to make something I want, so I just can't be bothered to feel like I'm missing out when the big names try to ruin things. They're not gaining control of the way games are made and played. They're just stepping aside to make room for the next big thing, the big thing that they won't be selling. I think it's great of them to practically throw the entire industry to the little guys. It's like what the music industry has been going through in a way. EA and Ubi and whoever else can try to screw customers all they want, but it's ok because it's easier than ever to go independent.

I would like to point to my previous post where you may find some nice things.

ASeven wrote on Feb 21, 2010, 17:22:
Oh, I wouldn't give up just now if I were you, things may start to get interesting.

So... go and find the nice things.

Ant wrote on Feb 21, 2010, 16:42:
Time for me to quit PC gaming if this keeps up! I haven't gotten a new PC game since C&C3:KW, Crysis, Modern Warfare 1 (not its sequel), etc.

Oh, I wouldn't give up just now if I were you, things may start to get interesting.